The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was the first David Bowie album I ever bought. It was 1972 and the Rolling Stones’ Exile on Main Street was my favorite album that year, but David Bowie’s wonderful songs received heavy rotation on my turntable. In later years, I bought and enjoyed Let’s Dance. And, what might be the theme song for the Age of Coronavirus, I loved “Under Pressure” by David Bowie and Queen.
Best of Bowie was released in 2002 and although Bowie continued to release songs and CDs, this 2-CD collection includes most of Bowie’s best work. Are you a David Bowie fan? Do you have a favorite song? GRADE: A
TRACK LIST:
CD 1
| No. | Title | Place of Origin | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Space Oddity“ | David Bowie, 1969 | 5:15 | |
| 2. | “The Man Who Sold the World“ | The Man Who Sold the World, 1970/1971 | 3:55 | |
| 3. | “Oh! You Pretty Things“ | Hunky Dory, 1971 | 3:12 | |
| 4. | “Changes“ | Hunky Dory | 3:33 | |
| 5. | “Life on Mars?“ | Hunky Dory | 3:48 | |
| 6. | “Starman“ | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, 1972; released as a single before the parent album’s release | 4:16 | |
| 7. | “Ziggy Stardust“ | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars | 3:13 | |
| 8. | “Suffragette City“ | The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars | 3:25 | |
| 9. | “John, I’m Only Dancing“ | Non-album single, 1972 | 2:43 | |
| 10. | “The Jean Genie“ | Aladdin Sane, 1973; released as a single the previous year | 4:08 | |
| 11. | “Drive-In Saturday“ | Aladdin Sane | 4:36 | |
| 12. | “Sorrow“ | Bob Feldman, Jerry Goldstein, Richard Gottehrer | Pin Ups, 1973; originally by The McCoys and made famous by The Merseys, 1965/1966 | 2:53 |
| 13. | “Diamond Dogs“ | Diamond Dogs, 1974 | 6:05 | |
| 14. | “Rebel Rebel“ | Diamond Dogs | 4:30 | |
| 15. | “Young Americans” (United States single version) | Young Americans, 1975 | 3:16 | |
| 16. | “Fame“ | Bowie, Carlos Alomar, John Lennon | Young Americans | 4:17 |
| 17. | “Golden Years” (single version) | Station to Station, 1976; single version released the previous year | 3:22 | |
| 18. | “TVC 15“ | Station to Station | 5:33 | |
| 19. | “Wild Is the Wind“ | Dimitri Tiomkin, Ned Washington | Station to Station; originally done by Johnny Mathis for the film of the same name, 1957 | 6:02 |
CD 2
| No. | Title | Place of Origin | Length | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | “Sound and Vision“ | Low, 1977 | 3:00 | |
| 2. | ““Heroes”” (single version) | Bowie, Brian Eno | “Heroes”, 1977 | 3:37 |
| 3. | “Boys Keep Swinging“ | Bowie, Eno | Lodger, 1979 | 3:18 |
| 4. | “Under Pressure” (with Queen) | Bowie, Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, Roger Taylor | Non-album single, 1981; later included on the Queen album Hot Space, 1982 | |
| 5. | “Ashes to Ashes” (single version) | Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps), 1980 | 3:38 | |
| 6. | “Fashion” (single version) | Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps) | 3:23 | |
| 7. | “Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps)” (single version) | Scary Monsters (And Super Creeps); released as a single the following year | 3:27 | |
| 8. | “Let’s Dance” (single version) | Let’s Dance, 1983 | 4:07 | |
| 9. | “China Girl” (single version) | Bowie, Jim Osterberg (a.k.a. Iggy Pop) | Originally by Iggy Pop from The Idiot, 1977; later covered for Let’s Dance | 4:18 |
| 10. | “Modern Love” (single version) | Let’s Dance | 3:56 | |
| 11. | “Blue Jean“ | Tonight, 1984 | 3:12 | |
| 12. | “This Is Not America” (with the Pat Metheny Group) | Bowie, Lyle Mays, Pat Metheny | The Falcon and the Snowman soundtrack, 1985 | 3:43 |
| 13. | “Loving the Alien” (single remix) | Tonight; remixed and released as a single the following year | 4:43 | |
| 14. | “Dancing in the Street” (with Mick Jagger) | Marvin Gaye, William “Mickey” Stevenson, Ivy Jo Hunter | Non-album single for Live Aid, 1985; originally by Martha and the Vandellas from Dance Party | 3:14 |
| 15. | “Absolute Beginners” (single version) | Absolute Beginners soundtrack, 1986 | 5:39 | |
| 16. | “Jump They Say” (radio edit) | Black Tie White Noise, 1993 | 3:53 | |
| 17. | “Hallo Spaceboy” (Pet Shop Boys mix; with the Pet Shop Boys) | Bowie, Eno | 1. Outside, 1995; PSB mix released as a single the following year | 4:25 |
| 18. | “Little Wonder” (single version) | Bowie, Reeves Gabrels, Mark Plati | Earthling, 1997 | 3:40 |
| 19. | “I’m Afraid of Americans” (V1 radio edit) | Bowie, Eno | Original version found on Earthling | 4:26 |
| 20. | “Slow Burn” (radio edit) | Heathen, 2002 | 3:55 |
I am a big Bowie fan. Saw him on his Ziggy Stardust Tour in 72 and once later in the mid 90’s. My first Bowie album would have been Hunky Dory. Hard to pick a favorite. My favorite album would be either Hunky Dory or Aladdin Sane. My favorite songs would have to be Rebel Rebel, Heroes or Life On Mars. I’m also big on Prettiest Star and Queen Bitch which are not included here. All in all a pretty good collection. I would agree with the A rating.
Also a decent actor. Check out either The Prestige in which he played Tesla or Merry, Christmas Mr. Lawrence in which he was a Japanese Prisoner of war. Also good in The Man Who Fell to Earth.
Steve, I agree with you on Bowie’s performance in THE MAN WHO FELL TO EARTH. I’ll have to check out THE PRESTIGE and MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. LAWRENCE.
I’ve always been a Bowie fan and saw him once—the Glass Spider tour (choreographed by Toni Basil of “Hey Mickey” fame). “Under Pressure” and “Golden Years” are two of my favorites, but I’d probably listen to anything on this CD—except perhaps “Dancing in the Streets” (although maybe I’m just thinking of the cheesy video and not the song itself).
Deb, I’m with you on the cheesiness of the “Dancing In the Streets” video. The Bowie cover sounds okay, but it’s nothing special.
Bowie is certainly up there in the rock pantheon where “who’s the best” arguments are futile, and one of my greatest regrets is that I never saw him live. For favorite songs I’d go with “Rebel, Rebel”, “Suffragette City”, and “Fame”. This is a great set.
Michael, like you I regret I never saw David Bowie in concert. If you wanted just one David Bowie album, THE BEST OF BOWIE is the one I would recommend.
Never had the chance to see him live but with his first song he became a favourite of mine.
Space oddity is still the greatest for me – I was just preparing for my master, gas to hurry up because my prof was going to the USA for a year.
So they’ll be intertwined forever,
Wolf, all the Space and SF themes in David Bowie’s work always appealed to me, too!
No, never much of a fan. I’d go with “Under Pressure” with Queen.
Jeff, many of our local radio stations have been playing “Under Pressure” on a regular basis during the pandemic.
Always one of my favorites. Life on Mars but that may be influenced by the TV series where I heard it more recently than some of these.
Patti, LIFE ON MARS was an underrated TV series.
I got nightmares from one scene in Merry Christmas, Mr. Lawrence.
Enjoy his music, and innovations
Maggie, I’m with you on Bowie’s musical innovations. Brian Eno had a lot to do with that.
Also Mick Ronson was a huge influence on Ziggy and Alladin Sane.
He had a knife named after him?
Rick, your wit is sharp!
I liked some, had Ziggy Stardust album (vinyl) and played it a lot, but never went beyond that.
This has a great selection of songs, but too many single versions and radio edits. That keeps it off my list.
“Under Pressure” has one of the all-time greatest bass riffs, by John Deacon and Bowie. I never tire of listening to that. I’ll even listen to “Ice Ice Baby” by Vanilla Ice just to hear that bass line again (the courts eventually ruled he had to pay Bowie and Queen for using it).
Okay, pretty much all the Bowie compilations are full of single versions and radio edits. No escaping them.
So far as I can tell, I have a few vinyl records and no cds, so I’m off to choose something to buy.
Most recent new-to-me cds: a Three Dog Night collection, Rick Wakeman’s new “Red Planet” (not as good as I hoped), and “Ruins” by First Aid Kit (two Swedish sisters, doing a good job as folk/country singer-songwriters).
Jeff, the most recent CDs coming in to the Kelley Manse are Sara Watkins’ YOUNG IN ALL THE WRONG PLACES and DAVID BENOIT AND FRIENDS.
I’m a HUGE Bowie fan and was lucky enough to see him three times in concert.
I can’t pick a favorite but one I’ve been listening to recently is his cover of Here Comes the Night from the Pin Ups album.
A timely selection for right now would be I’m Afraid of Americans.
Beth, another timely selection might be “Panic in Detroit” or any big America city.
I liked a lot of his songs for years without knowing they were from him!
Bob, David Bowie had a distinct sound.